Have the shuttle we acquired in the mining incident last month ready. The captain is in route to you now…
As Jim Kirk listened to Hikaru Sulu's words coming over the intercom, he remembered that mining incident. But it was not only the K'Normians that were involved…and it was not their ship that he confiscated, although it was a K'Normian trading vessel, or cargo ship. They had not captured the ship there at Rigel XII, but later. There was a character named Harcourt Fenton Mudd, who was simply known as Harry Mudd, who was a scheming, con artist. Jim had never met anyone quite like him in his entire life. He thought Mudd would try to sell ice to a Delta Vega inhabitant…if there were any inhabitants on that planet.
However, that was not the only problem they had run into during that time. It was rather a silly encounter where Mudd was trying to sell three women to desperate miners, just proving that Mudd would try anything to make a dollar. Jim had convinced them that the "Venus" drug was not effective as they thought it was a love potion, but simply made the women believe they were more beautiful, which gave them more confidence. He had arrested Mudd for trying to sell people, but he had managed to escape in that cargo ship. That encounter had led them into an even worse controversy which also involved mining.
After leaving Rigel XII, their next stop had been Phaedus IV where there was a civil war raging. Phaedus IV was a pre-warp world, but what Jim and his crew discovered was much more important…
"There is a considerable amount of activity on the surface of the planet, Captain," Spock said as they neared Phaedus IV. "This is a pre-warp world, however, they do have technology."
"What activity is going on on the surface?" Jim asked.
"From the looks of it, it seems to be a battle."
"A battle?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Captain," Sulu interrupted. "There is a Klingon vessel coming up from the planet."
Jim stood up from the captain's chair. "Have they detected us?" he asked.
"I'm not certain, Captain."
"Move us out of their path. We'll avoid conflict if we can."
"Captain, it appears to be a Klingon freighter rather than a fighter," Spock said.
"Why would the Klingons be delivering something to this planet?"
"Since there is a battle going on, it is logical to believe that if the Klingons are involved, they are on one side or the other, and may be helping with weapons."
"How could someone strike a deal with Klingons for weapons?"
"It is well known that the Klingons enjoy battle. I am sure they also enjoy making profit, plus we do not know all the facts about this conflict."
"Well, why don't we go down there and see what's going on? Spock, you, Bones, and Uhura are with me," Jim said. "Mister Scott, you have the con."
Jim, Spock, and Uhura left the Bridge and changed into different clothes for this away mission. Bones met them at the transporter room. "Am I hearing this right?" Bones asked. "We're going down there into a battle?"
"We're going down there to find out what's happening and what it has to do with the Klingons," Jim said.
"The Klingons? You have to know that anything that involves the Klingons is bad news."
"Yeah, and we're going to find out what they're up to this time."
They stepped onto the transporter pad. "Energize," Jim said.
They were soon appearing on the planet below, and they could definitely hear the sounds of a battle with explosions, firing, and yelling. "It is a battle," Bones said.
"Question is: what are they fighting about?" Jim asked.
"I do not believe there is a way to find that out without breaking protocol," Spock said. "We would have to engage the inhabitants and let them know of our presence in order to find out any more information."
"You always have to bring up protocol when we find a problem, Spock."
"Captain, it is what governs our actions."
"Yeah, but sometimes, you have to bend the rules just a little in order to help people."
"What you call bending the rules, is more like breaking them into tiny pieces."
"Do we have to have this debate right now?" Bones asked. "Just what do you intend to do, Jim?"
"Well, for one thing, I'm going to get closer so I can see what's happening down there." Jim looked at Spock. "You and Uhura stay here."
Bones' mouth dropped open as he realized that meant he would be going along. "Captain, I must advise you against getting into this conflict," Spock said.
Jim looked at him. "I never said anything about getting into the conflict," he replied. "Will you relax?"
Bones followed Jim as they moved further down toward the inhabitants. The sun was going down so it was getting darker as they went through the thick jungle-like forest. "I hope we don't run into any poisonous plants or vicious insects," Bones whispered. "You know, when we go to strange planets, we could easily die!"
"Bones, you are way too preoccupied with dying," Jim whispered.
"Death is a reality. I've seen a whole lot of it…especially since I met you."
"Just come on."
They moved through the tangle of vines and underbrush and finally came to the edge of a town. "You think they're gonna know we don't belong here if we go walking into this town?" Bones asked.
"I guess there's only one way to find out," Jim replied. "Looks like most of the fighting is outside the town."
"I don't like this," Bones said as he followed Jim out of the forest.
"Just act like you belong here," Jim whispered. "Don't act suspicious."
"How do you do that? No one around here has seen us."
"Well, maybe they haven't seen everyone who ever comes into this place either."
"Yeah, and during a war, they're liable to think everyone they don't know is a spy!"
Just as Bones said that, someone yelled, "Halt!"
Jim and Bones stopped and looked to see a soldier with a gun coming toward them. "Bones, if you don't stop predicting doom…" Jim said
"Boy, do I hate being right all the time," Bones mumbled.
The soldier came over to them keeping his weapon trained on them. He was dressed in fatigues like Jim had not seen in years. "Who are you?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"
Jim went blank for a moment. "Uh, we're just walking by," he said.
"Let me see some ID."
Jim looked at Bones and then he grabbed the gun the man had and shoved it backward. However, the gun fired into the air. Jim managed to get the guy down on the ground with a little help from Bones. They knocked him out and then ran for the back of the building. "This is a bad idea!" Bones whispered.
Jim was looking at the weapon he had in his hand. "This thing fires bullets," he said with amazement. "Where did they get something like this?"
"Jim…"
Just then, they heard someone yelling, and there were more people discovering the soldier they had just disarmed. "Now say we can just walk into a town in the middle of a war!" Bones said.
"Will you shut up?" Jim asked. "Come on."
They headed around the back side of the building and ran across the alleyway to the next one. Then they heard someone yell, "There are spies in the town!"
Bones shook his head. "They're talking about us!" he whispered.
"Don't you think I know that?" Jim whispered. "They won't find us if we're careful!"
They went on down the line of buildings, and Jim hung the weapon over his shoulder under his jacket. "If we can get into the busy part of town, maybe we can blend in," he said.
"That's a big maybe," Bones replied.
As they neared the center of town, they found that it was not as busy as they would have liked, and there were soldiers standing around. Jim walked on out onto the street, and Bones followed him. "How do we know who the good guys are in this war, and who the bad guys are?" Bones asked.
"We don't," Jim replied. "But maybe if we hang around, we can hear some talk."
"Yeah, and maybe we can find ourselves in a prison somewhere."
"Bones."
They stopped as they made it to an area where there were not so many soldiers. Jim took out his communicator. "Spock," he said.
"Captain, is everything alright?" Spock asked.
"Yes. So far. We ran into a little trouble but we're in the town now. No one else has spotted us."
"Uhura and I are also at the edge of the town."
"Stay there. If we find out anything, we'll let you know."
"Yes, Captain."
Jim put his communicator away, and he and Bones walked on. The beings there were humanoid so they did not have to worry about looking different. As they walked, Jim thought everyone around them looked…afraid, or nervous. "What do you think, Bones?" Jim asked.
"Feels like a lot of tension and fear around here," Bones said.
Just then, they heard an explosion on the other side of the town, and now that the darkness had fallen, they could see the bright orange of the explosion and the ensuing fire. "Jim, how are we supposed to know who the aggressors are?" Bones asked.
"We're just gonna have to feel this out, Bones," Jim replied. "But since there are soldiers standing around here everywhere with guns, I don't think this place is exactly peaceful."
"You! Halt!" someone yelled.
Jim and Bones were startled as they turned. That command was definitely being directed at them. "How do they know we're not part of the town?" Bones asked.
"I don't know," Jim replied. "But I don't want to stick around to find out. Let's go…now!"
Jim turned and ran and Bones followed him. "Halt!" the same soldier yelled at them.
"Jim, he's liable to shoot us in the back!" Bones declared.
"Just run, Bones!" Jim said.
Suddenly, there was another soldier in front of them, so Jim darted into an alley. Bones followed him wondering what good this was going to do. And then, they were facing another two soldiers in the alley. Jim was not ready to give up as he plowed into them. He grabbed the gun of the first and they struggled over it. Jim shoved him into the one behind and then he had two weapons, but as he whirled around toward the others who were now coming into the alley, the first fired at him, seeing him with a weapon.
Bones was standing against the wall of the alley, and he was shocked as Jim fell to the ground. "Jim!" he yelled.
"Halt!" one of the soldiers yelled as Bones started to run to Jim.
Bones looked at them but he put up his hands. "You shot him!" he yelled.
"You stand still or I will shoot you too!"
Bones looked at Jim lying on the ground with a surprised look on his face, as the two soldiers he had tangled with had taken the weapon from him. He could see a reddening stain on Jim's shirt at the side of his abdomen. "I'm a doctor!" Bones declared. "He's my friend!"
"Get on your knees!"
Bones got down on his knees and they cuffed him. They also got Jim up and cuffed him as well. Then they were herded to a nearby place that looked like a military installation. They took the cuffs off Jim and Bones and shoved them into a prison cell. Jim just lay there on his stomach, but Bones turned him over to look at his wound.
"I guess you were right," Jim said.
"Jim, this is bad!" Bones declared.
"It hurts!"
Bones ripped the side of the shirt open. "It's bleeding." He ran over to the cell door. "Hey! You can't just let him bleed to death!"
There was no answer, so Bones went back over to Jim. He looked around them at what they had in the cell, but there was nothing to treat a gunshot wound. He took off his jacket. He was wearing two shirts, so he took of the top shirt and then the t-shirt he had on underneath. He pressed it down on Jim's wound.
Jim groaned out loud. "I have to stop this bleeding!" Bones declared.
"Where did they get weapons like that?" Jim asked trying to keep his mind off the pain. "I didn't even know they existed anymore."
"Well, you know it now!" Bones was more worried about stopping the bleeding than wondering where the bullet came from. "Hold this down," he said as he put Jim's hand over the makeshift bandage. He got his shirt and jacket back on and then took the task back over himself. "Looks like they could keep from freezing us to death in here."
Jim gasped for breath a moment. "Bones, how bad is it bleeding?" he asked.
"Bad enough that if I can't get it stopped, you won't have to worry about what kind of war this is," Bones replied bluntly.
"I guess…" Jim closed his eyes.
"No, don't go to sleep!"
Just then, they heard an explosion that seemed to rock the prison. Then there was a lot of yelling. "What a time for an attack!" Bones said as concrete dust rained down on them. He tried to keep it off Jim, but it was impossible. "Come on, Jim."
Jim groaned out loud as Bones got him up and over to the only cot in the place. "Sit up!" Bones said.
"Why can't I lie down?" Jim asked.
"Because! I don't want you to pass out!"
Everything was suddenly quiet as they had heard a lot of gun fire. Then several soldiers came into the prison. They were not wearing the same sort of fatigues as their captors. Jim stared at the one who seemed to be leading them as he thought he knew him. He thought he must be delirious.
The man at the prison cell door was tall and looked like he was well in authority. He unlocked the cell door. "Get them!" he said.
"Wait!" Bones yelled as the others came toward him. "He's wounded!"
"Come on!" the one in charge demanded. "Take them both!"
Jim groaned as they got him up and took him out of the cell and got Bones as well. They were taken outside and hurried out into the woods. Bones wondered where they were going, but he hoped someone was going to help Jim soon…